Rangers deal Andrus to A's for Khris Davis, hoping slugger regains form
33-year-old DH led MLB with 48 home runs in 2018; teams also exchange catchers
Elvis is leaving Texas.
Veteran infielder Elvis Andrus was traded to the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, just over two months after the Texas Rangers said the only player remaining from their only two World Series appearances would no longer be the starting shortstop after 12 seasons in that role.
Texas is sending the 32-year-old Andrus, catcher Aramis Garcia and $13.5 million US to the A's for designated hitter Khris Davis, along with catcher Jonah Heim and right-hander Dane Acker.
Andrus, who made his major league debut with the Rangers at age 20 in 2009, is owed $14 million in each of the next two seasons. The eight-year, $120-million deal he signed in 2015 also includes a $15 million option for 2023 that because of the trade becomes a player option if he has 550 plate appearances in 2022, or 1,100 combined in 2021-22.
Oakland recently lost shortstop Marcus Semien to Toronto in free agency.
The Rangers said in December that Gold Glove-winning third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa would be given the opportunity to be their starting shortstop next season. They told Andrus then to prepare to play all infield positions.
When Andrus made his MLB debut, the Rangers moved Michael Young -- then 32 himself -- to third base after he had been an all-star shortstop the previous five seasons. Young is still the team's career leader and Andrus is second on the list for games played, at-bats and triples. Young is also the career leader for hits and runs, with Andrus third in both those categories.
2-time all-star
"On behalf of the Texas Rangers, I want to thank Elvis Andrus for the tremendous impact he has made on our organization over the last 12 years. His play on the field, his connection to our fans, and his work in the community have played an integral part in shaping our franchise," Rangers chairman and manager partner Ray Davis said. "He will forever be a member of the Texas Rangers family. We wish him the very best."
Andrus has batted .274 over his 12 seasons, and the two-time all-star is the only MLB player with at least 10 seasons of 145 games or more since he debuted in 2009, before the Rangers went to the World Series in each of the next two seasons. He hit .194 last season when limited to 29 games because of lingering lower back issues.
In 79 career games against the Rangers, Davis hit .271 with 15 doubles, 32 homers and 80 RBI.
Davis is signed for $16.75 million this season.
Heim, a 25-year-old switch-hitter, made his major league debut with the A's in 2020, hitting .211 with five RBI in 13 games. Acker was the A's fourth-round selection out of Oklahoma n shortened MLB draft last summer.
Garcia was acquired by Texas from San Francisco in a November 25 waiver claim. He missed the entire 2020 season while recovering from surgery on his right hip labrum.
